Moving stairway.



G. A. WHEELER, DEG D.

H. M. WHEELER, ADMINISTRATOR.

MOVING STAIRWAY. APPLICATION FILED Nov. 16, 1309].

1,130,555, Patented Mar.2, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1. i2 1 G. A. WHEELER, DECD. n. M. WHEELER,ADMINISTRATOR. MOVING STAIRWAY.

APPLICATION FILED $1017.16, 1909.

Patented Mar. 2, 1915.

. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

e. A, WHEELER, DEGD.

H. M. WHEBLEB,- ADMINISTRATOR.

MOVING STAIRWAYf APPLICATION FILE-D NOV. 16, 1909.

Patented Mar. 2

G. A. WHEELER, DEGD.

H. m. WHEELER, ADMINISTRATOR.

MOVING STAIRWAY.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 16, 1909.

Patented Mar. 2,

4 sEEETS-EHEET 4 6 e c 1 a a Q C a e 1 lzlll IIILI a e o o A a a 5. Q 16\u\\\\ n 4 a o. a 1 o x e 9 .0

I o wHUP o w 1 0 1 GEORGE A. WHEELER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.;

GEORGE A. WHEELER, DECEASED.

H. M. WHEELER ADMINISTRATOR on MOVING STAIRWAY.

Application filed November 16, 1909. Serial No. 528,426.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. WHEELER, a citizen of the United States,residing in the borough of Brooklyn, Kings county, in the 'cityand Stateof New Yprk, have invented new and useful Improvements in MovingStairways, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in mechanism of theparticular class described and claimed in my U. S. Patent No. 888,949,May 26th, 1908, one object of the present invention being to simplifythe construction and reduce the space occupied by such mechanism.

Another object of the invention is to improve the device as to safety.

A further object is'to provide a simple drive for the device and onethat will economize power and utilize the weight of the iiesgending loadin raising the ascending These and other advantageous ends I secure bythe constructions hereinafter set forth, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings in which V Figure 1 is a plan, to some extentdiagrammatic, of a moving stairway constructed in accordance withmyinvention; Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic vertical section on line 22 of thestairway illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic vertical section on line 3-3, Fig. 1; Fig. 4 isan isometric view of one of the carriages or steps; Fig. 5 is a similarfragmentary view in detail of the upper portion of a carriage or step;Fig. 6 is a vertical section through the upper parts of two of thecarriages and illustrates different relative positions; Fig. 7 is adetailed side view and Fig. 8 a detailed plan, partly in horizontalsection, of the stairway illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3; Figs. 9, 10and 11 comprise a transverse section, side elevation and horizontalsectional plan, respectively, of my improved stairway and illustratemore particularly the driving mechanism; Fig. 12 is a detailed "iewof'three of the steps or carriages in operative position on the inclinedguides; Figs. 13 and 14 are views similar to Figs. 7 and 8 butillustratea modified form of my device; Figs. 15 and 16 are viewssimilar to Figs. 9 and 11, and

- illustrate a modified form of driving mecha- Specification of LettersPatent.

nism; Fig. 17 is an isometric fragmentary detail of a modification fullyexplained hereinafter.

Referring first to Figs. 4, 5 6, 7 and 8 of the above drawings, whichshow-one embodiment, preferred for the purposes; of illustration, myimproved stairway consists of a series of carriages or steps A, eachmounted upon a pair of wheels a journa'led alternately upon two sets ofaxles a and a which are preferably arched in form and broadened at themiddle into a substantially rectangular plate, in each of thefourcorners of which are holes a with an additional hole a at the centerwhere the plate is preferably thickened to .form an annular flangearound the hole a. The axles a and a differ only in length, the axles abeing enough longer than the axles a so that the wheels on the former donot track'with the wheels on the latter; otherwise all the steps orcarriages A are alike; Extending upward through the holes a are foursimilar rods at? which also pass through four similar holes in each ofthe bearing blocks a, a, a", a and a that are superimposed, one aboveanother, upon the axles a and a the support of a framework to .which thetread and two similar risers of each carriage or step are attached.Thelower bearing block a contains a half socket, and the bearing block acontains a half socket on both its upper and under sides, the halfsocket on its under side registering with the half socket in block a andforming a hearing a for a ball. In like manner the block a, has a halfsocket on both its upper and under sides, the half'socket on its underside forming, with the half socket on the upper side of a'. beforementioned, another bearing a for a ball. In the same manner a thirdand-a fourth bearing a is formed by half Patented Mar. 2,

and thus form a rigid built-up standard for sockets in the bearingblocks a and a, the

a right angle with the axles 0: and a while the opposite vertical side ais at a difierent angle with the axles, being splayed out wardly; theupper side a and the lower side a ofi the openings a" are also splayedoutwardly. These four sides of the openings a each forms a stop for apurpose mentioned hereinafter. built-up standard, above described, is aframework, preferably of cast metal, consisting of four similar hubs a"connected by webs a and carrying projecting plates a. Through holes atin the centers of the hubs a" pass the rods a thereby securing theframework rigidly to the standard. Each carriage or step A, moreover,comprises a tread having a riser along each of its opposite longitudinaledges, and may be built up, as is clearly shown in Figs. 5 and 6, of twosimilar but oppositely placed sheet metal stampings bent to form thelongitudinal edges a of the tread and the risers a. The risersd areformed with a longitudinal ridge, about their middle height, for

the purpose of stiffening the depending plates which are thus shapedinto two planes, meeting to constitute an angle, made exterior so as toprovide clearance for the forming tools. The risers a preferablyterminateat either end in bufiers a which may be formed of metal piecessuitably fastened on, The stampings, where they constitute the edges ofthe tread, are preferably grooved. or roughened'to prevent slipping.

For the purpose of securing the stampmgs rigidly to the framework .abovedescribed, the side of the stamping opposite the riser is bent downparallel with the upper plane of the riser and then substantially atright Resting upon the.

from the metal sheet or else angles-thereto, forming a flange a which isY punched or drilled with holes, two in each stamping, through which therods a pass and is clamped down tightly by the locking nuts a. Theprojecting plates a, are of such shape as to fit closely against therear sides of the stampings which may be secured to them by. tap screwsorthe plates 055 means.

a may be flanged and bolted to the stampings.

Between the two stampings, above mentioned, the tread of the carriagesor steps A may be formed of apiece of-wood a? with the end edgesprotected by metal strips a screwed on. The wooden piece a may besecured in place by screws entering wooden strips (1. located underneathand screwed or bolted to the flanges through holes made in both. 7 V 7On the under side of the axles a and a of the carriages,,in the openingof the'arch, isjcurnsile'd a. roller a upon a shouldered pin a insertedin the hole or bore a and secured in" place by a cotter pin 0. or otherThe roller a is so mounted that its tread is in a horizontal line withthe axles of the supporting wheels 0; of the carriages A.

he several carriages or steps A. are connected into an endless jointedstructure by means of links B and the sockets or bearings a, each link Bterminating at either end in a ball b,"which passes through an opening aand is journaled in one of the sockets a, as is clearly shown in Figs.7, 8 and 12. There are two of these links between each pair of carriagesor steps, making four links Whose terminals are journaled in the foursockets a of each built-up standard, the bottom and third socketsreceiving the balls of the pair of links connecting one adjacentstandard, and the second and fourth sockets receiving the balls of thepair of links connecting the other adjacent standard. Thus each pair oflinks is attached in parallelism,

'ing portions upon which the carriages or steps form flights X, andpreferably hori-' zontal portions at top and bottom on which thecarriages form landings Y, and looped portions Z connecting thehorizontal portions into an endless way, the track or guideway on thelooped portions being arranged in an improved manner and one thatpermits of turning, without interference, rigid carriages in a spacesmall in all dimensions. As it is not necessary or desirable to use thecarriages when on the loops Z, this portion of the. stairway is coveredover by a stationary platform D. The remaining or exposed portions ofthe stairway are designated as carrying runs.

While for the purposes of illustration, l[ have shown but one generalarrangement of flights, landings and loops, it is to be understood andwill be obvious to those shlled in the art, that the varioustypes ofStairways shown in the patent mentioned in the second paragraph of thisspecification, as well as to engage with the wheels 11 of the long I andshort axles, a and a respectively, of

the two series of carriages. 0n the flights X of the stairway, thetreads of the rails a and c are in a single plane of such inclinationthat the carriages are retained with the bottoms of the buffers a incontact, and with the side edges of the links B in contact with thesides a' of the openings (Z12 in the bearing blocks; and with the uppersides a of the openings (1 of the carriages having the long axles a andthe lower sides (1 of the openings a" of the carriages having the shortaxles a in contact with the upper and lower edges respectively of theadjacent links B, thus locking the individual carriages in alinementboth laterally and vertically, as is clearly shown in Fig. 12. Similarlyon the landings Y, the carriages are locked against lateral displacementby the contact of the juxtaposed tops of the buffers (1 and of the stopsa with the links B;

' being inclined downwardly, before the loop is reached, by sections of'rail 0 sufliciently long and enough steeper than on the flights to causethe carriages with the axles a to take relative positions in which theyare below and, clear. of the carriages having the axles a whose rails 0continue around the loops Z preferably in the same horizontal plane ason the landings Y. Thus the carriages with the axles a are free to swingover, and the carriages with the axles a vunder, each otherrespectively; and the sides a of the openings a" in the bearing blocksare at such an angle as to contact with the side edges of the links Band retain the carriages in radial positions on the curved rails of theloops Z, which, measured on the chain line, are preferably of suchradius, relative to the distance from centerto center ofthe ballsocketsa when the carriages are lapped, that the carriages are in radialposition when they enter or leave the loops Z, as well as when they aretraveling thereon; and the upper sides a and the lower sides a of theopenings at of the carriages having the short and long axlesrespectively, that are out of contact with the. B on the flights, Fig.12, are splayed at such an angle as to be in contact with the links onthe loops Z, thereby cooperating with the stops that are in contact onthe carrying runs, and with the radial stops a, to lock the treads ofthe carriages in gid hori n al andv lateral se through the two separatedendless. lines of parallel links B which lie in the same Vertical planesand whose bearings are centered vertically over each other in everyposition of the carriages. The rollers a to which the drive is applied,as hereinafter described, are mounted on a line with the axles or axesof the carriages and thus the driving mechanism has no tendency to tiltthe treads of the carriages from the horizontal.

In order to supplement gravity in holding the wheels at of the long andshort axles a and a to their respective rails 0 and a, guard rails 0 andc are located above the rails 0 and 0 respectively, and are extended, onboth sides, around the loops Z.

After the carriages have traversed a loop Z, it. is necessary that thecarriages with the short axles a be raised to the level that they wereon before entering the loop, 2'. 0., the

. level of the landing Y of which they form a part. Hence the rails 6,beyond the loop, are inclined upwardly by short sections of rail 0?,corresponding with the sections 0 until their level coincides with thatof the rails c.

As will be seen by reference to Figs. 7 and 8, the junctures between theinclined and horizontal rails, both at the beginning is angular whichshape tends to cause a variation in the tension of. the belt ofcarriages, due-to changes in position of the links in relation to therails at these points, 6.. 9., when two adjacent pairs of links areparallel with the rails 0 and 0 respectively, as in Fig.7, the linksnearly coincide 1n length with the rails, but when a pair of links isacross an angular juncture, the coincidence in length is destroyed. andthe tension 'afl'ected. By proportioning -or adjusting, the lengths ofthe rails intermediate of these junctures, I may so locate them thatthese two described positions will alternate at each or any two adjacentpairs of junctures, thereby insuring a practically uniform tension inthe belt of carriages.

As will be seen by reference to Fig. 6, which illustrates three relativepositions of adjacent carriages or steps, the risers a are nowhere incontactand the space formed between the carriages on the landings, whilenot enough to admit the tip of a crutch or "cane used for support, isyet wide enough to allow of skirts lifting out in case their edgesshould fall therein, and thereby preventing them from being caught, asoccasionallyhappens when the path of contiguous edges of the steps orcarriages is such belt ofcarriages, I provide the screw gear as to fitthe risers closelyin changing'from 95 and ending of the landings and ofthe loops,

so-mounted as to engage with the rollers a on the carriages A. Tpreferably drive both the ascending and the descending runs of thestairway, providing the screw gear E, Figs. 9, 10 and 11, on theascending side and the corresponding screw gear E on the descendingside. The shafts for the gears E and E are carried in suitable bearingse and 6 respectively and are provided with bevel gears e and e meshingwith the bevel pinions e and 6 respectively on a shaft 6" which iscarried in suitable bearings e and reaches across from one landing orflight of one run to the landing or flight of the other run. The twobevel pinions e and e are so mounted, of course, as to drive the gearswith which they mesh, and consequently the gears E and E in oppositedirections.

The screw gears E and E are preferably similar and of such length andpitch as to retain the rollers a? of at least two adjacent carriages onboth runs in engagement at all times; and the screw gears are so locatedas to take the strain of the descending load off the portion of the belton the loop Z and transmit it, through the shaft e, to the ascending runwhere it is utilized in the gear E' to assist in raising the ascendingload. I may provide similar gearing for the bottom of the stairway. Thisarrangement of drives leaves the carriages on the loops free to varytheir speed to suit the varying positions of the carriages thereon.Where conditions require, I may provide additional drives intermediate'of the ends of the stairway.

In Figs. 13 and 14:, T have shown a modification of the loopconstruction. In this form, instead of the rails 0 being depressed, therails c are elevated a corresponding distance, while the level of therails 0 remains unchanged, thereby causing the carriages with the longaxles a to rise in order to permit of the previously describedoverlapping and underlapping, the platform D being elevated acorresponding distance. These figures also illustrate anothermodification of the loop, which is applicable to both forms, namely theemployment of an are or turn other than 180, in thiscase 90, which maybe utilized, either to locate one of the runs at an angle with theother, in this case at a right angle, or to introduce a straight-sectioninto the loop which, after being continued the distance that thesituation requires, may terminate in another arc or turn, bringing theother run at any desired angle with or distance from the first run.

Tn'each form, in order to safeguard passengers, T preferably employ adevice located at the points'where the carriages pass under the fixedplatforms, indicated in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 7-, 9 and 13, and described by mein a former patent (No. 47 9,8641, Aug. 2, 1892).

It is also to be understood that my improved stairway would be flanked,preferably on both sides, by the usual moving handrails which or thecasings therefor, are indicated in various figures.

The left hand carriage or stepin Fig. 12 illustrates a method that llpreferably employ for automatically lubricating the sock ets which formbearings for the balls of the links. A. reservoir H for lubricant islocated underneath the tread of the carriage, above the center of thesockets a, with a pipe 71. leading to a .duct h? in the upper bearingblock and additional ducts h? connecting the other sockets.

Figs. 15 and 16 illustrate a modification of the drive. The commondriving shaft 7, in-

versing the motion without the use of bevel In Fig. 17 T have shown theblocks containing the ball sockets for the links constructed of pressedmetal such as sheet metal stampings, which have sockets m with openingsmpressed into the metal, and the stampings are secured in place on therods a by having holes punched or drilled in them and being blocked upwith the sepa- Y rators m While I have shown and described a suit ablemethod, or methods of constructing and arranging my improved stairway,ll do not limit myself to the specific constructions or arrangementsshown or described, since the scope of my invention embraces numerousmodifications of which the described constructions or arrangements aretypical.

What I claim is 1. In a device of the class described, the combinationof substantially straight ascending and descending runs connected bycurvedruns, carriages arranged to travel on said runs, the'curvedportions of the runs being so shaped that alternate carriages willobliquely overlap and underlap respectively in passing around the curve,substantially as described.

a single vertical plane, and being so laid out that alternate carriageswill underlap the others in passing around the curves, substantially asdescribed.

- 3. The combination, in a device of the 134? as described.

classdescribed, of substantially straight guides and curved lateralguides, carriages arranged to travel on said guides, the guides being soarranged that each alternate carriage only will move to a position on adifferent level from that of the succeeding one before turning,substantially as described.

4. In a device of the class described, a plurality of carriages mountedupon anti,- friction'deviccs and comprising more than one seriesintermingled in a regular order, the supporting devices of each seriesbeing attached in such relative planes as not to track with those ofanother series, guides for the supporting devices of each series andconsisting of substantially straight horizontal and inclined portionsand laterally curved portions connecting the substantially straightportions into an endless way, the

guides on the curved portions being so arranged as to cause the seriesof carriages to overlap and underlap'each other respectively in passingaround. the curves, substantially 5. In a device of the class described,a plurality of carriages, each mounted upon a single pair ofwheels, andcomprising two series intermingled in a regular order, the

wheels of one series being attached in such vertical planes as not totrack with the wheels of the other series, tracks for the wheels of eachseries, said tracks consisting of substantially straight horizontal andinclined portions and laterally curved portions, connecting thesubstantially straight portions into-an endless way, the-tracks on l thecurved portions being in such relative horizontal planes as .to causethe two series of carriages to overlap and underlap each otherrespectively in passing around the curves, substantially as described.

6. In a device of the class described, a guideway consisting ofsubstantially straight horizontal and inclined portions and laterallycurved portions connecting the substantially straight portions into anendless way, two rails on each side of said substantially straightportions disposed in the same horizontal and inclined planesrespectively, and continuing railson the laterally curved portionsdisposed in different horizontal planes, with carriages arrangedto'travelon said rails, substantially as described.

7. In a device of. the class described, comprising a guidewa'yconsisting of substantially straight portions and curved portions,

intermingled series of carriages said series hdifiering from each otherin the length of their axles with wheels journaled on the axles,substantially as described.

8. In a device of the class described, a

series of carriages each comprising an axle supporting a standard whichin turn supports a framework and attached thereto a tread portion formedof two oppositely placed metal stampings with risers integral therewith,and a filling in member between said stampingscompleting the treadportion, substantially as described."

standard, substantially as described.

11. In a device of the class described, a series of carriages connectedby links having balls journaled in sockets on the carriages,

said sockets being formed of metal stamp ings, substantially asdescribed.

12. In a device of the class described, a series of carriages havingrlsers composed of two planes meeting to form an exterior angle,substantially as described and for the purpose specified.

13. In a device ofthe class described, com prising horizontal andinclined carrying runs, a series of carriages adapted to-form steps onthe inclined run and a practically unbroken platform on the horizontalrun,

each carriage havinga riser consisting of two planes meeting to form anexterior angle, said risers terminating at either end in bufi'ers,substantially as described.

14. In a device of the class described, comprising horizontal andinclined carrying runs, a series of carriages adapted to form steps onthe inclined run and a platform on the horizontal run, said carriageshaving risers terminating at either end in bufl'ers, the said risersbeing arranged to be everywhere out of contact with each other and saidbufiers being arranged to abut against each other, on both of said runs,substantially as described.

15. In a device of the classdescribed, the combination with a guidewaycomprising substantially straight inclined and horizontal portions andlaterally curved portions, of a series of carriages adapted to travelthereon and to form steps on the inclined portions, practically unbrokenplatforms on the horizontal portions and to alternately loop prisingstraight inclined and laterally curved runs, link connected carriagesarranged to travel on said runs, said carnages rality of socketbearings, with a reservoir for lubricant located above said sockets and1 arduct leading therefrom tothe socketbearings, substantially asdescribed.

.18. In a device of the class described, the combination with aconnected series of carriages and a guideway, therefor, of a screwdriving {rear mounted to-engage with said carriages, said screw gearbeing of a suitable length d having its pitch adapted to theflength'ofthe connection between said carriagesfwhereby a' plurality of carriagesa amant" are in engagement with said gear at m times, substantially asdescribed.

19. In a device of the class described, the combination with a series ofcarriages and a. guideway therefor, comprising substantially straightcarrying runs and laterally curved connecting runs, of means forchanging the relative positions of the carriages at the beginning of theconnecting runs, so that they will turn clear of each other whilepassing said connecting" runs, and for restoring the alinement ofthe-carriages after the connecting runs are passed, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof, 'I have signed my name'to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

I GEQRGE A. WHEELER.

Witnesses: I

Dnms V. Snronr, FRA K VAN DER LINN

